Client Success Story: Matthew Duncan, Black Potion Crew
For Matthew Duncan, being a nerd was never just a hobby. It was an identity.
Growing up in the 1980s and ’90s, Matthew and his friends were the kids inside reading comic books and taking apart computers while everyone else was outside. They were passionate about video games, coding, and pop culture at a time when that combination felt rare, particularly as young Black men who didn’t always see themselves reflected in the spaces they loved.
That experience became the foundation for Black Potion Crew.
Building a Community First
Black Potion Crew started as a podcast concept built around a simple but powerful idea: what if there was a space made specifically for urban nerds, by urban nerds? Matthew and a close group of friends launched the show to share their experiences growing up at the intersection of Black culture and nerd culture, and the audience responded. The podcast grew to more than 2,300 subscribers on YouTube, drawing listeners who finally saw themselves in the conversations being had.
“We are not saying we didn’t do the same things as everybody else,” Matthew explained. “We are just saying that being Black and a nerd, we also had different things we were into. While everybody might have been out playing basketball, we were in the house reading comic books or dissecting a computer trying to learn some coding.”
From Concept to Company
What began as a passion project became something bigger. In 2022 and 2023, Matthew officially established Black Potion Crew, determined to build the brand into a lasting platform. The business expanded from its original podcast roots into Amazon drop shipping, merchandise, and eventually a full media and entertainment company. Today, Black Potion Crew operates as a podcasting platform, a publishing house, and a brand with a clothing line and video game in development.
Under Black Potion Publishing, the company is preparing to release four books. Matthew’s own debut novel, Beat of Life, releases September 1, 2026. The concept has been years in the making: a story set in a world where DJ battles play out like the high-stakes fight scenes of Dragon Ball Z or Scott Pilgrim, where scratches are visible, drops shake the room, and music becomes the ultimate arena. Matthew first sketched the idea in 2017, set it aside, and picked it back up at the start of this year, writing and editing through May before finally feeling ready to share it with the world.
Three additional titles from a co-founder are slated for release by the end of the year, cementing Black Potion as a serious publishing presence. A clothing line called Reaper Clothes is expected to drop in October, and a video game remains in active development.
A Partnership Built on Trust
Matthew is a returning CEDS Finance client, having first worked with the organization on a small business loan earlier in the company’s history. He describes that experience as one that set a high bar.
“My journey with CEDS Finance has been amazing,” he said. “They have definitely been one of those mentors you are happy to have. CEDS Finance, the first time I went through the process with getting a loan and working with them, great people, always helpful, always there if I needed it, answered any questions.”
That relationship continues to support him now as he prepares for the biggest launch in Black Potion Crew’s history, with CEDS Finance helping to connect him with resources and visibility at a pivotal moment.
What’s Next
For Matthew, Beat of Life is just the beginning. The goal has always been to build something that endures: a brand that resonates with an underserved community, tells stories that matter, and creates products and experiences that reflect the culture he grew up in.
“When we came up with this idea,” he said, “I felt that we had come up with something wonderful, and I wanted to expand on it.”
Black Potion Crew is doing exactly that.
Beat of Life: Finding the Rhythm releases September 1, 2026. Pre-order your copy now on Barnes and Noble.
Black Potion Crew LLC is a CEDS Finance client. Learn more about CEDS Finance small business loans and technical assistance at cedsfinance.org.
